UVU's Romero Out for Season

OREM, Utah — Head Utah Valley University Wresting Coach Greg Williams has announced that two-time Big 12 champion and 2021 All-American UVU grappler Demetrius Romero recently suffered a season-ending injury and will miss the remainder of the 2021-22 campaign. The three-time NCAA qualifier for the Wolverines will look to get a medical waiver and be back on the mat for UVU in 2022-23.

"It was definitely a tough blow to Demetrius and the team to have him experience a season-ending injury. It's hard to replace someone of his caliber, grit, and experience. We are confident however that Demetrius will be able to have the option to compete next year," Williams said. "With all the young talent we have developing currently, it could be a special season next year, especially if Demetrius is back helping lead the way."

After winning the second Big 12 title of his career last season and capping off a stellar 2020-21 campaign by placing sixth in his weight class at the 2021 NCAA Championships en route to earning All-American honors, the current seventh-ranked 165-pound Wolverine had his sights set on reaching the top of the podium for his redshirt season this year but had those cut short due to suffering a knee injury in dual competition against CSU Bakersfield on Nov. 19. Romero will now hope to get an extra year of eligibility from the NCAA and be able to come back even stronger for one more go-around for his senior season next year.

"So, I tore my ACL in my right knee and my plan is to come back for my senior year because I know I'm good enough to win a national championship especially with the coaches we have and the guys we have on the team. I want to be able to give myself the best chance possible of winning a title, so taking a medical year will help me get back to 100% and put me in the position to win a title and lead the team going forward," Romero said. "Even being hurt this year, I plan to be a leader to the guys and help them make improvements in their wrestling so they can also achieve their goals this season."

One of the most decorated wrestlers in program history, Romero started his collegiate career near his hometown of Meridian, Idaho at Boise State. After redshirting 2015-16, he then posted a 21-16 record for the Broncos during the school's final season of sponsoring a wrestling team in 2016-17. With two brothers on the track & field team here at UVU, Romero decided to transfer to Utah Valley and wrestle for the Wolverines.

In his first year as a sophomore in Orem in 2017-18, Romero posted a 26-9 record and a perfect 11-0 clip in duals on his way to qualifying for nationals for the first time and finishing the year ranked 16th in his weight class. He then followed that up with an even better season as a junior in 2018-19, as he won UVU's first Big 12 title on his way to going 28-5 overall, entering the NCAA Championships as the No. 9 seed, and finishing the year one win shy of earning All-American honors. After missing the majority of 2019-20 with an injury and receiving a medical redshirt, Romero then came back with a bang during his COVID year last season. Up a weight at 174 pounds, Romero won the second Big 12 title of his career on his way to entering nationals as the highest seed in program history at No. 2. He then became just the third Wolverine in program history to reach the semifinal round and finished with an impressive 19-2 record and a sixth-place finish to earn the first All-American honors of his career.

Romero was then off to a perfect 2-0 record this season back down at 165 pounds before sustaining the season-ending knee injury.

Romero is currently tied for fifth in the UVU record books with 77 career victories, as he holds a 77-16 record in a UVU singlet. Counting his freshman year at Boise State, Romero also sits just two wins shy of 100 for his career with a 98-32 collegiate record. He is also a three-time NWCA Scholar All-American and a three-time first team Academic All-Big 12 honoree. Romero is currently pursuing his master's degree at UVU in marriage and family therapy.

The 5-1 Wolverines will continue the 2021-22 season by welcoming the fourth-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys to town for a Big 12 Conference clash on Monday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. For tickets, please visit GoUVU.com/tickets.